Secret to Omaha? Come back soon

That's the secret to Omaha and the College World Series, at least for LSU - for the most part.

Even the grand skipper of college baseball - former LSU coach Skip Bertman - went 0-2 in 1994 with a 20-6, elimination loss to Cal State Fullerton.

LSU did not return in 1995 when Lance Berkman and Jose Cruz Jr., of Rice launched the Tigers right out of the NCAA South Regional in Alex Box with 15-7 and 16-9 explosions.

"The game has passed Skip by," some LSU fans cried.

Some LSU fans were hollering for present LSU coach Paul Mainieri's head after the Tigers went 0-2 in the 2013 CWS with a 2-1 loss to UCLA Sunday and a 4-2 loss to North Carolina Tuesday.

I remember laughing in the mid-1990s, and I laughed last night when I first heard of such inane thought processes.

Skip's Tigers returned to Omaha in 1996 and "passed by" everyone to win it all.

They won it all again in 1997 and would have won three straight in 1998 had the wind not drastically changed.

But they returned for another title in 2000.

Mainieri's Tigers will return in 2014 and do better than 0-2.

One must go to Omaha a couple of times and build a resume incrementally before one can win it all.

You must get your feet wet, learn the ballpark, and in this case, hope the NCAA is smart enough to realize that it needs to teach TD Ameritrade Park a thing or two by moving in the fences or perhaps by lifting the diamond out of the hole it's in.

LSU has not been the only team hitting balls completely for outs instead of home runs.

It has been going on since the place opened in 2011.

LSU had more problems than the ballpark, though. It looked like a first timer, not a program on its 16th trip. All the players were on their maiden voyage to this Midwest Mecca, and it showed.

The Tigers performed in similar fashion in 2008 when Mainieri brought his first LSU team to Omaha. LSU went 1-2 with a pair of four-run losses to North Carolina. Most of the team came back in 2009, and the Tigers won it all.

It takes awhile.

Even Bertman went 1-2 on his first CWS trip with the Tigers in 1986. Then he went 2-2 in 1987, 2-2 in 1989 and 2-2 in 1990.

Eventually, Bertman and the Tigers got a handle on Omaha on their fifth trip for the national title in 1991, after entering that CWS below .500 at 7-8 with whispers that Skip was the next Coach K. Duke's Mike Krzyzewski went to the Final Four four times before winning it all, also in 1991. Then Bertman's Tigers won it again in 1993.

The latest group of baseball Tigers and the latest great coach tried Omaha on for size over the last several days. Next year, they should fit better.

Nola, who was 12-1 this past season, gives LSU a chance by himself. Glenn was very good in his first year for the most part.

If 6-foot-9, right-handed signee David Palladino of Emerson, N.J., does not sign with the Yankees as their fifth round pick, he could step right into the weekend rotation.

Or perhaps left-hander/first baseman signee Nick Longhi of Venice, Fla., could make the rotation. Boston took him late in the 30th round.

Signee outfielder Justin Williams of Terrebonne High in Houma was taken by Arizona in the second round, but he has said he is still interested in LSU. That would be a surprise, but the fact that he saw LSU in Omaha this week can't hurt.

There are several other talented signees headed LSU's way.

It seems like a long time in the future, and 0-2 is hard barbecue to swallow.

But the Tigers will have what it takes to return to Omaha and stay much longer in 2014. At this time next year, they'll still be playing.